Was insulin shock therapy a viable clinical treatment?
Insulin shock therapy was first devised by psychiatrist, Manfred Sakel. In the real case, John Nash was prescribed ICT (insulin coma therapy). Since John Nash was diagnosed to suffering from schizophrenia, he was treated at Trenton State University in 1961. Although there were some cases where patient rehabilitated from illness, the treatment was highly risky. ICT is definitely unpractical treatment for schizophrenia, because there was possibility of death. However, considering it the only choice then, ICT was feasible and attemptable treatment. Such is inferred from the movie, Beautiful Mind, John’s wife reluctantly accepted ICT for John Nash’s mental illness. As shown in the movie, patients would go through horrendous pain, John Nash shook severely, but their guardians had no other choice but to choose ICT. Besides all the viability, ICT actually had positive effects for about 80% of the treatment. After, receiving ICT, the patients would become more tranquil and less argumentative. To make long short, ICT was not generous but a sole treatment.
Was John Nash an unusual case, or do you think that many schizophrenic patients can be taught to function in society with without medication?
As long as the patient is conscious of the illness and act, he or she will have no problem functioning in the society. However, some prejudiced point of views toward schizophrenia might be an obstacle for the patients. A sample from a study in 1992 shows that 12.8% of Americans believe that schizophrenic people are very likely to harm others. John Nash had an unusual case of recovery, because he himself refused to take medicinal and clinical treatment. Instead, he tried to correct his perspectives, and finally time cured the mental illness. John Nash had performed cognitive therapy, which he starts ignoring what he perceives. By the time he became old enough for time to cure his illness, John Nash had no problem working as a professor.
What are the dangers and/or advantages of this type of treatment (re: insulin shock therapy)?
As described visually in the movie, a patient who is treated with ICT will suffer from extreme pain. Even worse, not all patients treated with ICT are successful in curing the illness. ICT is also very dangerous and has small possibility of death. Since, ICT is putting patients into coma with chemicals, some patients might never recover from coma and instead decease. With all these risks, many tried this therapy because it was the only one that brought up positive results. After the treatment, patients seemed to stay calm and temperate. To allude similar treatment, curing cancer can be compared with ICT. Though patients will suffer from severe pain, loss of hair, and radiation treatment, they will have cancer all cured.
What is the difference between the treatment of schizophrenia in 1960-1970 and today?
First, the treatment of Schizophrenia in past was highly insecure, and even psychologists didn’t know what mechanisms derive to such results. ICT was successful in limits. Some got a way out of schizophrenia by ICT, but the percentage of those who did so was very low. Also, considered inhuman, ICT was brought into issues and in present days, ICT are not preceded in the United States. Instead some discoveries of medicinal treatment have been made, and patients are now treated with antipsychotic drugs. Although these drugs do not cure the mental illness, it alleviates the symptoms for sure.
What are the various types of schizophrenia? Which would you consider the worst case to have? The least worst? Explain why for each.
I would consider paranoid schizophrenia the least bad illness, because it is the most common and one that is accepted in the society. Like John Nash, those who suffer paranoid schizophrenias will have preoccupation with delusions. If a person can ignore the delusions, he or she might have just a regular life. Also, some of those who has paranoid schizophrenia is said to have abnormal cleverness. For instance, some might have unusual retentive power and some might perform anomalous math or music skills, like John Nash and Beethoven. So they might be considered both gifted and doomed, which can be cancel out each other. On the other hand, catatonic schizophrenia is considered the most unfavorable types of one. Those who suffer from catatonic schizophrenia tend to have motor malfunction with inconvenience in moving or emotional trouble. Their emotions cannot be expressed and even worse cannot be felt, meaning they are apathetic. These people are almost impossible to get along with society, and have difficulty in relationship. The worst case of the worst type is having extreme negativism. One is motiveless at all and will not cooperate, staying stolid.
What treatments are being pioneered today for schizophrenia?
Still there is no definite cure for schizophrenia. However, scientists have found way by treating symptoms. Following the standardized methods, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scales (PANSS) one can moderate symptoms of schizophrenia. With development of chlorpromazine in 1950s, one could manage schizophrenic behavior and allowed social inclusions. Rather than curing and getting rid of schizophrenia, manipulating the symptoms so that one can function properly in the society is now more accepted.
Source:
<Wikipedia.org>
<Pbs.org>